# Why Guys Hate Date Movies



## Darla (May 15, 2009)

*Why Guys Hate Date Movies*

*Guys just don't like date movies. One man explains why. *

Allow me to make three outrageous assumptions, so I don't have to keep saying "Of course, not all womenâ€¦" and "That being said, some menâ€¦" and so forth. Here goes: 1) Women love romantic movies. 2) Men love action movies. 3) Men love women, and women, for some reason, love men.

I'm totally overgeneralizing and I know it. Somewhere, at this very moment, a heterosexual man is renting _Beaches_. But Guy Movies and Chick Flicks clearly appeal powerfully to their respective genders.

Hollywood's solution for the middle ground, the Date Movie, is supposed to appeal perfectly to both men and women. I'm talking about films like _Jerry Maguire_, _Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind_, or _Say Anything_. They look good on paper: a little bit of pink syrup, a little bit of blue syrup; the spine of a love story and an evolving relationship for the ladies; some edgy jokes or a hot lingerie scene for the fellers. You pray you get _Knocked Up_, and not _Gigli_.

But guys never love these movies. Oh, we go all rightâ€”but we're there because we want to see YOU. We always find something to watch and/or laugh at, but don't kid yourself: we definitely feel like we're taking one for the team. Jen Aniston in a towel is nice but doesn't erase the sneaking suspicion that we've been tricked into watching a chick flick in disguise.







Here's why: Movies are about getting lost for two hours in a communal dream, and men and women, generally, dream different dreams.

What WE want from a movie, our escape, is heroism. Reluctant, individual, improbable heroism. Guy Movies always have this at the heart: Regular schmoe digs deep and overcomes superior forces. Think _Wanted_. _Die Hard_. _The Matrix_. _Star Wars_. Normal dude is swept up by cir***stance and rises to meet the occasion, ideally with automatic weapons.

And here's the key insight: The hero does not change. It's counterintuitiveâ€”Hollywood loves a "character arc"â€”but it binds virtually all Guy Movies, from spy films to boobs-y comedies to space epics. Bond is always Bond; Clint leaves town on the horse he rode in on. The Blues Brothers do not repent. When a regular guy overcomes the odds and survives intact, the subconscious takeaway is: If the Federation came calling, you too would kick major alien ass.

*What's your favorite movie to watch together?*


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## Dragonfly (May 15, 2009)

I'm not into date movies either - usually because they are so poorly made.

But I love Bridges of Madison County. A classic love story!


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## Lucy (May 15, 2009)

me and my boyfriend have the most different taste in films. i like kinda kooky, off beat films, sometimes romantic but not always. and he seems to like really dark, violent political stuff. we can hardly ever agree on what to watch!


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## Adrienne (May 15, 2009)

We have the hardest time choosing movies to watch together. He likes cheesy comedies like Dude Where's My Car and I prefer movies that have a plausible storyline lol. I have to force him to watch a movie he wouldn't normally pick and ends up loving anyways. I'm not into romantic chick flicks but I do like some romantic comedies. I haven't seen any I really love in years and the last one was Hitch. I tried to make him watch the Matix and he thought it was the stupidest thing ever



He didn't even want to sit with me and watch The Dark Knight!


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## internetchick (May 15, 2009)

My husband is Monty Python, and I am The Breakfast Club. Although we do both want to see the new Star Trek movie at the IMAX.


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## Darla (May 15, 2009)

Originally Posted by *internetchick* /img/forum/go_quote.gif My husband is Monty Python, and I am The Breakfast Club. . both excellent!


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## Duchess Ravenwaves (May 15, 2009)

I've never really had that problem with any of my boyfriends, I really enjoy action/adventure movies so our taste in movies are very similar. But date movies are a guilty pleasure of mine, so I'll just watch those by myself, because I know guys don't really care for those kind movies.


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